Lionel Messi is widely regarded as one of the greatest international stars in the history of the sport, a status further solidified by his role in leading Argentina to its third FIFA World Cup title in 2022. Nevertheless, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) is preparing to implement a new regulation that could have impeded Messi’s career.
Lionel Messi’s National Team Set To Welcome New Rule
According to OneFootball (via SPORTbible), Argentina is set to stop calling up any player who moves to Europe before signing a professional contract with an Argentine club. Messi’s national team will implement ‘patria potestad’ to protect the interests of local youth clubs.
Opining on the upcoming introduction of the new participation rule, AFA Director of Youth National Teams Javier Mendez Cartier said, “By decision of our President and his Executive Committee, this AFA administration always seeks to defend the interests of the clubs that develop players. Anyone who does not understand this and chooses to use parental rights to emigrate will not be called up to any youth national team.”
Interestingly, Messi would have been unable to represent Argentina if the rule had been in place more than 25 years ago. The Inter Miami captain left Newell’s Old Boys’ youth system to join La Liga side Barcelona in 2000 as a 13-year-old.
To date, Messi has scored 115 goals in 196 appearances for Argentina. The 38-year-old forward has also won two Copa America titles in addition to the World Cup.
MLS Star Details Experience of Playing Against Messi
During a recent chat with Irish Independent, New York City FC defender Kevin O’Toole said that facing Inter Miami’s Messi has made him feel fortunate.
“When I was a kid, I would always do the math to see if I’d be old enough to play with him by the time he was coming to the end of his career. We’ve shared a few battles. With me being a left-back and Messi playing on the right, the first time I was like, ‘This guy is actually real?’. It felt like a bit of a video game, really,” O’Toole said.
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O’Toole concluded, “When we played a friendly to honour his eighth Ballon d’Or (in 2023), I spoke to him in Spanish thanks to my Venezuelan roots, and congratulated him but lately there’s been no pleasantries exchanged, it’s all rivalry. But it’s a huge honour to play with someone I grew up admiring, always a pinch-yourself moment. I feel really fortunate.”
So far, O’Toole has faced Messi four times in his professional career. He has never been on the winning side, with the Argentine superstar’s club recording two wins and two draws.
